Spectacular
by Orchid Butterflies
Summary: -HIATUS- Wandering around the local fair, Zexion found that he wanted nothing more than to simply vanish. But he wasn't a magician. Though perhaps there was someone nearby that could help him with that... AU Zemyx SoRiku AkuRoku
1. Opening Act

**A/N:** So there's not much to this so far. IT'S LONG. IT'S GOT MORE THAN ONE CHAPTER. AND IT'S WORDED WEIRD. At least the first chapter is. But seriously, if you like this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. It motivates me to WRITE. Which means if you LIKE this, and you REVIEW, I will UPDATE SOONER.

Sorry for the CAPS, I'm just trying to get a point across.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any fairs. Nor do I own any characters you may come across in this. Seriously. I don't. Oh, and Axel's performance? Totally didn't write. I got stuck there, so I asked tmcullen over at deviantart(dot)com to write it. XD Can you tell? Probably. She's so much better at it than meeeeee.

**Dedication:** To my betas, and the people I worship. Always them.

* * *

_I feel so out of place._

Children were screaming and laughing and yelling and giggling as they ran past the strange teenager. He turned and slowly made his way between the loud vendors and cheap games and noisy rides, half-noticing that the temperature was dropping. Glancing up at the evening sky, he mindlessly fiddled with a keychain hanging from his messenger bag, wondering why West Virginia summers could be so agonizingly hot during the day, yet almost frigid at night. His gaze moved from the cloud-less sky to the ferris wheel that seemed as if it could touch the oranges and pinks and yellows. Deciding that it wouldn't be a bad idea, he got in line for the ride. Maybe, if he tried, he could touch the sky, too. The very thought brought the barest trace of a smile to his face. A group of chattering teenagers came up behind him, babbling about the show that was going on that evening. He had only read about it, once, a few years ago, but from what he was hearing from the teens, it hadn't changed much. Trying not to appear obvious, he quietly listened in on the conversation.

"Oh my God, did you see the leader last year?!"

"Oh I know! He was SO hot!"

"Puh-LEASE. The fire dude was WAY hotter!! No pun intended!"

"That was SO lame! Anyway, I heard they got a new act!"

"What?! No way!! They only hire the best of the best!!!"

"That means he HAS to be good if they'd take him!"

"Who's saying it's a guy?"

"I read it was in the paper!"

"You read the paper?"

"Not the point!!"

"Yes, the point it, I bet he was paired off with the fire dude!"

"Why, what's he do?"

"Manipulate water!"

"Then that would only make sense."

"But, oh my God, that would be SO COOL!!"

"Oh, and what about that psychic?!"

"I heard he was fired!"

"WHAT?! No WAY! Why?!"

"I don't kno-"

"And the twins!!"

"The boys or the girls?"

"They're both amazing!!"

"Next in line!!"

_It's beautiful up here..._

Fields and roads and towns – there was nothing he couldn't see from his position atop the ferris wheel. He was a bit scared of heights, he had to admit, but the beauty of the scenery before him diminished that fear. Far off in the distance, he was able to spot police cars rushing into the city. Quickly averting his gaze, he looked down at the people milling around below him. They all seemed so carefree, while here he was, contemplating where to spend the night. He couldn't go home – there was absolutely no _way_ he was going back there. But that still didn't answer the question. He sifted through his bag, scrounging together what little munny he had. Not nearly enough for a hotel room. He figured it was enough for some food – cheap food, that is, probably from the concession stand. Maybe enough to purchase that book he wanted.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when the rough voice of the ride's handler addressed him.

"Hey, kid, get off. There are people waiting."

He nodded and gathered the possessions he'd pulled from his bag, hastily stuffing them back in, ignoring the giggles of the girls that got on after him. Pushing through the crowds, he made his way towards the aforementioned concession stand, intent on purchasing food to calm his growling stomach. But he quickly became side-tracked when he spotted flames shooting into the air from the corner of his eye. Alarmed, he jogged up to the edge of the gathering crowd, standing on tip-toe to see a man with a shock of red hair, and small – almost unnoticeable – tattoos, controlling the fire. He watched in awe as the flames formed shapes and intricate designs before disappearing.

"'Ey! If you all liked that, then come to the show later tonight!! It's completely free, and we love to wow the audience with our _a-maz-ing_ feats!"

The man's clear voice echoed over the fairgrounds, over the loud clapping, over the squeals of delight as he shot a group of girls a devilish look before vanishing in a burst of fire. Pursing his lips, he stared at where the strange man had been before slowly making his way back to the concession stand, getting in line.

When he'd gotten his lousy cheeseburger and Dr. Pepper and had hoisted himself up onto the low wall separating the main fair from where the truck pull would later be taking place, he observed everyone that passed him by, admiring how happy they all seemed.

Two young adults went by, both carrying baskets of flowers. The female's long, brunette hair was tied up in a high ponytail, her emerald eyes shining brightly as she offered a daisy or a tulip to someone. Silver bracelets gleamed in what little light the setting sun gave off, her pink sundress matching her partner's layered, shoulder-length hair. He handed out roses of various colours, a gentle smile on his androgynous face. After selling a few flowers, they moved on, out of his line of site.

A hyperactive girl bounced by, her short black hair held back by a green bandanna. She stopped and swiveled around on the ball of her foot, facing her companion, hands laced behind her back. Her high-pitched voice whined about how the brunette girl needed to make more money so that they could purchase more food, but the other simply shook her head, laughing. The black-haired girl whined some more, pulling her friend towards the very ride he had recently disembarked.

The pyro from earlier passed by next, a girl hanging off either arm. They were telling him how amazing they were and how he should like them, but he simply laughed it off. His laughter was just as wonderful as his voice was. The girls giggled with him and dragged him out of sight.

So many different people. They all had something to be joyful about. In the distance, he spotted a girl working her horse over some of the jumps in the corral, her trainer barking out commands. To the right, various people worked on the monstrous trucks for the truck pull. To the left, more rides and amusements for people to enjoy. Which they obviously were, judging by the screams of laughter.

"Attention!! Your attention please! Thank you. The show will begin in five minutes!! Five minutes, you hear that everyone?! FIVE MINUTES!!"

The unfamiliar voice caught his attention. He took the last few bites of the crummy cheeseburger and threw the plate away in the nearest trash can before nearly running across the fairgrounds to reach the stage.

_It was absolutely amazing._

A man stepped forward. His silver hair shone in the false lighting, aquamarine eyes dancing over the crowd. His voice was strong, his words eloquent. He was, in two words, absolutely gorgeous. The crowd eagerly ate up everything he said.

"Ladies and gentlemen, young and old! Tonight, we will amaze you with feats never before performed! We have yet to disappoint, and tonight shall be no different! Now! Without further ado, I present to you one of our two sets of twins, the wonderful Kairi and her always sweet sister,Naminé!"

He bowed deeply and simply vanished in a small cloud of smoke, two girls standing where he had once it had cleared, their hands linked. Their face, their eyes, their figure, it was all exactly the same. The only thing setting them apart from one another was their hair. Naminé had blonde hair, while Kairi's was the colour of a raspberry. They giggled and smiled at the audience, their movements in perfect synchronization. Like their actions, they spoke as one.

"Could we please have a volunteer?"

Almost every hand shot up at once. They both pointed to an over-excited blonde girl. She squealed with joy and bounded onstage, stopping in front of the waiting girls. They both reached out and took one of her hands, closing their eyes. The blonde girl bounced up and down up and down on her heels, biting her lip, waiting anxiously. Naminé was the first to speak.

"The memory you are most fond of is one from when you were eight years of age. You met a young man by the name of Tidus, and you introduced him to your cousin, Yuna. And you're oh-so-proud of yourself now because they are happily married, and Yuna is expecting a child later this year."

The girl gasped with delight, then nodded. Kairi spoke up next.

"The memory you despise most is one from when you were fourteen years of age. You were walking home when you saw Yuna being shoved into an alley by some strangers. You tried to get to her as fast as you could. And you got there just in time. A second later, and they would have done the unthinkable. And although you loathe this memory with all your being, you still are proud of yourself for being able to rescue your cousin."

There was a moment of silence before the girl nodded again.

"Yes. Those are both true."

The twins smiled gently, knowingly, almost, at her, speaking simultaneously once more.

"Fear not, for your future is bright. Although you will go through many rough times, you will also experience so many good ones. Remember the name Gippal, for your fates are intertwined."

The girl squealed once more before bowing a thank you, and leaping offstage. They called up another volunteer and the process was repeated several more times before the girls bowed to the cheering crowd, and walked off opposite ends of the stage.

The crowd screamed in ecstasy as a ring of fire suddenly circled the stage area. The pyro tried not to smirk as he appeared in the middle of it and struck a dramatic pose; he could tell most of the yells were coming from teenaged and college-aged girls, including the mini fan club from earlier. He raised a thin eyebrow as he spotted the man seven rows back who had joined in with the girls' cheers, but the redhead was certain he was only a fellow pyrophile and thought nothing more of it.

"Name's Axel," he called out. "And this is gonna be the best part of the show. Commit it-" he jerked his hand and one of his chakrams appeared in his left hand in a flash of fire- "to memory." The other one appeared in his right and he gave them a quick twirl before tossing them into the air. They left a trail of fire in the air, making an intricate pattern that dominated the sky.

In the audience a certain person noted that the design looked an awful lot like two keyblades if you squinted at it long enough, and the thought made him squirm in his seat next to the pyrophile.

With a twirl Axel jumped up in the air and grabbed the chakrams. Another line of fire blazed out from under his feet as they slammed back into the ground, slowly spreading to meet the original circle. The circle morphed, and the crowd was awed by how the flame had turned into the shape of a chakram.

Axel jumped in the air again, pushed up by a sudden sprout of fire almost like lava from a volcano. "Folks, I'm really just getting warmed up, but I've got to make way for my fellow performers." He winked at the girls who seemed like they were about to cry. "All the actors are in place, and they have one hell of a show for you as well!" With that he left in one last blinding burst of flames.

One after another, they came out, amazing the crowd with each and every feat they performed. There were one-eyed sharp-shooters, animal taming blondes, twin magicians, and British illusionists, each one bringing unique and amazing acts to the show, eliciting random cheers from the spectators. But, one teenager stayed silent, clapping softly when he should clap, a light laugh escaping his lips when he was supposed to laugh, the thinnest trace of a smile appearing on his face when the performer told a particularly funny joke or did something completely astounding. He hadn't completely and truly involved himself, though, until one boy came out on stage. It was obvious he was new to this – he had no spectacular entrance, unlike the others. He just walked onstage and waved to the audience, a goofy smiled plastered to his completely boyish features, a strange instrument slung over his shoulder.

"Uhm... Hi! My name's Demyx!"

The introduction was short, but to the point. He pulled the odd instrument off his shoulder and held it, like one would a guitar. Smiling and waving to a group of girls in the front row, he began playing.

_It was beautiful. Completely unlike anything I'd ever heard._

He could only watch in silenced awe, jaw slightly slack, as the blonde boy named Demyx made water dance. It materialized out of thin air, seemingly, and snaked it's way into the crowd, taunting and teasing the audience as they watched its seductive dance. The beauty of the water was matched only by the enchanting and positively haunting melody coming from the boy's instrument. The notes formed a perfect harmony, completely ensnaring any poor soul that happened to be within hearing distance, trapping them.

What had seemed like mere seconds was really twenty minutes, and all-to-soon, the song came to a conclusion. The water evaporated, but not before snaking around the bodies of several onlookers in what seemed like a good-bye hug. Several moments of intense silence passed. Demyx fidgeted nervously, offering a kind smile.

"Well, I ho--"

The rest of his sentence was drowned out in the roaring of the audience. None of the previous acts had received this sort of applause, and the blonde boy could only bow appreciatively before hurrying offstage.

_The performance by the blonde musician – Demyx – had completely captivated me, and I found myself hard-pressed to forget it._

The silent teenager found himself desperately wanting to find the musician; he wanted to learn about him – his favorite bands, favorite foods, favorites memories, favorite colours, clothes, TV shows, books, anything and everything. He especially desired to know how the blonde produced that music. It had stirred something in his memories – he wasn't sure what, but it was _something_. Something that pushed him forward, despite his weary state, forced him to walk back and forth back and forth across the fairground, searching for that blonde boy. Somewhere in the background, the roaring of an over-exerted truck could be heard. The truck pull had started. It was deafening; he hastily got as far from the noise as he could, quite possibly ultimately distancing himself from the one he searched for. He gradually realized he was shivering and stepped to the side to put his bag down for a moment and untie the black jacket from around his waist. Shrugging into it, he zipped it up halfway before a peculiar scent caught his attention. It was odd - it smelled like the ocean. And, if one is geographically inclined, they know that West Virginia is not next to an ocean.

"Oh! Ma'am, I'm so sorry!"

The thing that pulled his attention away from the smell of the ocean was that oh-so-familiar voice – the one he'd been longing to hear, who's owner was the one he was searching so fervently for.

"No, no, that's quite okay! No one was harmed."

"Please, let me help you pick those up, ma'am!"

"It's quite alright, Demyx – that was your name right?"

"Yes, m'name's Demyx, ma'am."

"Well then, Demyx, there's really no need to help me. It's only a few stuffed animals."

"But ma-"

"If anything, I should be thanking you. I'd never seen my children so enraptured in something that wasn't mindless cartoons or senseless video games."

"I still don't feel ri-"

"Shush. Now, go along. I can handle this."

"Are you sure, ma'am?"

"Positive. Now, shoo!"

"Uhm, thank you, I guess. And I'm glad you enjoyed the show!"

"I'll be back next year, so you better still be in it, young man!"

Demyx waved good-bye to her as he turned to walk away, quickly becoming distracted by a pair of violet-grey eyes that were staring intensely at him. He smiled at the silent teenager, approaching him.

"Hey! I saw you in the crowd during the show!"

The teen blinked a couple times, the words playing through his head several times before registering. He nodded in response, pursing his lips, nervously fiddling with the hem of his jacket. The blonde laughed, but the teen couldn't quite decipher just what he was laughing at.

"So, did you enjoy it?"

The teen nodded once more. Demyx smiled warmly at him.

"I'm glad! So. I'm sure you know by now my name's Demyx. What's yours?"

"... Zexion."

* * *

So! That's it for chapter one! I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you have fun reading it. Tell me what you think, I love hearing from you guys!! 


	2. Act Two

**A/N:** Soo... I'm alive. Hm... not much to say about me. So, I'll give you some random infos!

Okay, so first off, I do sorta kinda have a life. It's called HIGH SCHOOL. Yes. So, I'll write in my oh-so-fabulous Notebook of Certain Doom during the school day, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'll type it up that night. Friday will be the most opportune moment to work on the latest chapter. Which all translates to: I'll probably update on weekends. Yes.

Secondly, if no one noticed, on my profile, I have a section called, "Works in Progress" or something like that. Under that section, I have_Spectacular_'s progress. So, if you think I've dropped off the face of the planet, just check there. I might have added or changed something. XD

And as a random note, I've breached the 10k archived words mark. Yay!

Well, that's about it for now. I guess I should actually let you read the chapter now. Onward!

**Disclaimer:** Okay, so I lied. You gotta get through this first. XD Well, this and the dedication. But I digress! I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor Zexy's oddly fun hair. I love drawing his hair. But I do own a blue Nintendo DS named Zemyx.

**Dedication:** Here's to everyone that is enjoying this story, despite it only being in it's second chapter.

* * *

_I positively despise mornings._

Sunlight spilled over the mountains, bleeding through the clouds, casting a cheery pink glow over the valley. The dawn brought forth the early birds to the fair, people that had to help clean up and organize and set up for that day's later activities. But it also roused a certain slate-haired teen. A certain slate-haired teen that was, in fact, laying on the ground, using his bag as a makeshift pillow and his black jacket as a blanket of sorts. His side was soaked from the dew that had settled into the grass before the sun had even come up. His neck ached from laying on the bag for so long, his sides were cramped, his hair was extremely tangled, and he was almost positive he had a bright red mark on the side of his face since he had been lying on it. He sat there and looked around, sleep not having _quite_left him yet. Slowly, he pulled out a shirt from his bag – one of the few things he'd managed to grab and stuff in there – and stared blankly at it for several moments, before actually deciding to change into it. As he was pulling off his white t-shirt, flashes of the previous night invaded his memory, causing him to move slower still. But it was something he couldn't quite shake: the feeling of not belonging in the least. The troupe of performers, they were so entirely close, that he felt as if he were an alien from Mars invading Earth sadly attempting to befriend the strange earthlings.

"You sure it's alright with your parents, kid?"

The sentence bounced around mercilessly in his head. He did not particularly enjoy being asked if his parents approved – he was_certainly_ old enough to make his own decisions. But apparently, he did not look his age.

The sharp-shooter from the show had been the one to ask it. Demyx and him had just entered the camp when they ran into him – and for the blonde-haired musician, that is meant in the most literal way possible.

"Hey! Watch i- Oh, hey Little Dude."

"Hey, Xig. I brought a friend over for dinner!"

The sharp-shooter had glanced between the two before asking.

"You sure it's alright with your parents, kid?"

Zexion had just nodded slowly, looking beyond the older man, into the camp.

The troupe had set up camp in a rather unique fashion; one that almost reminded you of how the pioneers used to arrange their wagons when they made camp. Cars, trailers, and a camper were parked in what looked like a protective circle around several multi-coloured tents. The tents then encased a small area for various activities, such as cooking.

"No worries. He called them with my cell phone."

In reality, he'd only _pretended_ to call them. He hoped the blonde wouldn't think to check his Outgoing Calls.

"If you say so, Little Dude. We're going out to the truck pull. Wanna come?"

Demyx had shook his head, smiling over at Zexion.

"Sorry, I have other plans."

"S'all good. Catch ya later."

He had been confused; the man looked as if he was in his late thirties, early forties, but yet, he had been using the language a much younger person would.

"That was Xigbar. I don't know if you remember, but he was the sharp-shooter."

Zexion had nodded in affirmation, turning his full attention to the blonde.

"When he said 'We're', he meant him, Larxene, and Luxord. Larxene was the blonde animal tamer. She has the most random act out of all of us – an animal tamer in a troupe that travels to fairs. Oh, but she is one sadistic bitch. If she comes up to you with a smile that's just too sugary-sweet to be natural, it's not. She probably has sharp weapons behind her back. Just run when she does that. Seriously. Oh, and Luxord was the British dude. He's killer at poker. Never, ever play a game with him. _Especially_if it's strip poker. That never goes over well. _Never_."

A small chuckle had escaped the slate-haired teen's throat. Demyx's smile grew, and he continued, pointing out various tents as he stated their owner.

"See that pink tent over there? That's Kairi and Naminé's tent. They were the freaky, mind-reading twins. It's kinda creepy, 'cause they can always, and I mean _always_, tell what you're thinking. Okay, so they don't actually read minds. They read hearts and memories. And sort of predict the future – but that's not their strong point. They can only pull keywords out of a future. Sort of like... hints. But they're so quiet. It's unnerving when it's only you and them in a room.

"Oh, and that red tent? That's the other twin's, Roxas and Sora. They are the _complete_opposite of Kairi and Naminé. Roxas and Sora are loud and obnoxious, but the life of the figurative party. Like just the other day, they woke us all up and three o'clock in the freaking morning, _screaming_at each other over a remote. We couldn't seem to figure it out, seeing as the only TV in camp is in Riku's camper. And I can assure you it is _quite_remoteless.

"Oh, Riku's the one with silver hair and aquamarine eyes. He can catch just about anyone's attention. It's kinda scary how many people stare at him before and after shows. But yeah, that camper's his. He's sort of our stage master. He runs everything that happens onstage, and most of what happens off. He also – somehow – manages to keep us all sane and cooperating. Don't ask me how that's possible, I'm still trying to figure it out for myself.

"Oh, and Axel usually sleeps on the camper's couch. Axel and Riku have been best friends since way before I joined. Every Saturday night, they have anime night. That's the night where they watch absolutely nothing by anime, and eat ramen and what-not. It's kinda funny if you hang around outside 'cause they get really into it and start yelling at the TV. Anyway, yeah. He's the pyro. I think he was the only one, besides me, to introduce themselves."

On and on he went, telling anything and everything he could think of to Zexion. And he had listened intently, absorbing all the information Demyx spouted.

But around 10:30 P.M., he decided his charade needed to end, and made a swift exit, leaving behind a saddened blonde.

He didn't notice that he was still shirtless until he felt warm sunlight on his skin. He'd gotten so wrapped up in his memories, he'd unconsciously halted his actions. A light blush spread across his face as he silently hoped no one had seen him sitting around like that.

_I remember why I hate fairs now._

West Virginia summers were just too darn hot, he decided as he walked uphill towards the fair. He had been awake for barely an hour and he was already sweating. Looking around, he decided the first thing he should do is purchase a drink, so, he joined the long line of waiting people. He scanned the area, picking out random people in the crowd.

He saw the flower girl from yesterday, but noticed her pink-haired friend was missing as she continued what she had been doing yesterday. Except, today, she was handing out red chrysanthemums to anyone willing to take them. He turned his head and looked back down the line, trying to ignore her. He failed when he continued to glance back at her, and eventually, approached her, wordlessly accepting the flower. She smiled kindly at him, asking his name, which he readily provided her with.

"It's nice to meet you, Zexion. My name's Aerith."

She had a soft, pleasant voice; one that reminded you of your mother's when you were younger. It filled his heart with warmth. The smile that graced her features was nothing less than kind, and the look her eyes held a sort of comforting stare.

"... Uhm... Thank you... for the flower, I mean."

It was the first full sentence he'd spoken in three days.

"You're welcome."

"... May I ask... why..."

"Why I'm giving out flowers?"

He nodded.

"Because giving flowers to anyone can brighten one's day."

He looked back down at the red chrysanthemum he held, noticing how each individual petal was different than the one beside it, let it be a different size, shape, how slightly less vibrant it was than it's companions, or how it just seemed to put life into the flower.

"... How do you make a living?"

She laughed softly, making him relax further.

"I don't work exclusively at the fair, dear."

"... Oh... M'sorry... "

"Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong."

He pursed his lips and nodded, turning his attention back to the chrysanthemum.

"Here."

She plucked the flower from his hand and reached up, tucking his hair – and the flower – behind his ear. He stared up at her with wide, childish eyes, garnering another gentle smile from her.

"You're adorable. Why do you keep your hair like that?"

He was silent, considering this a moment before shrugging.

"Uhm... where's your... friend?"

Aerith shrugged, glancing around before settling her emerald eyes back on Zexion.

"Marluxia's around here somewhere."

He nodded and looked at the line for the concession stand. It had shortened considerably since he had began talking to the brunette girl.

"I.. uh... gotta go."

Aerith nodded in understanding, spotting the shortened line herself. She patted Zexion on the head before turning and walking away, waving briefly over her shoulder before crouching down in front of a little girl and offering her a flower.

_The smell of the ocean was quickly becoming a familiar scent._

"Zexy!!"

Every muscle in his body tensed when he heard that name. He whipped around to face the blonde musician so fast, the flower fell from behind his ear and slate hair once again covered half his face, hiding half of the fierce glare he was giving the boy. That was one name he _never_ wanted to be called again.

"Do_not_ call me by that name."

His tone was commanding – a complete opposite of his usually soft, reserved voice. His expression softened, though, when he saw the hurt look on the blonde's face.

"I-I'm sorry. I'll come back at a later time."

His eyes widened in panic before he lunged forward and caught Demyx's wrist, shaking his head violently when the blonde looked back at him with surprise, the chrysanthemum completely forgotten.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to sound like that..."

Confusion filled those blue eyes before nodding.

"It's okay. You having a bad day or something?"

Zexion pursed his lips before shaking his head.

"No... Just... don't. Please."

Demyx blinked.

"Okay. How's Zex, then?"

He thought it over a moment. It was really close to that name... but it wasn't it.

"...Alright."

"Woohooo!! So, whaddya wanna do today, Zex?"

"... I wasn't aware I was spending the day with you."

"Let's go to the funhouse!"

"Uh... what?"

"The funhouse! You know, the place with all the strange thi--"

"... I _know_ what a funhouse is... Why...?"

"For the hell of it!"

And so he was dragged off to the funhouse.

_I learned I despised funhouses more than the carnival itself._

**Challenge One: Hall of (Damned) Mirrors**

"Ouch!"

"... It can't be possible for one person to run into twelve mirrors... in five minutes."

"You... shush!"

"..."

The pair had, indeed, been in the funhouse for five measly minutes, and Demyx had – somehow – managed to run them both into twelve mirrors. Zexion was currently sporting a busted lip, while Demyx managed to come through – so far – unscathed. Finally – _finally_ – they burst into the next section. The blonde's laughter echoed in the small stairway while Zexion nursed his bleeding lip, holding a tissue he'd had in his bag over it.

"Dude. I can't believe we made it through that!"

"... Speak for yourself..."

**Challenge Two: Stairs of (Certain) Death**

"So... tell me about yourself, Zex!"

"... Like what...?"

"Well, what's your favorite colour?"

"... Emera – Cerulean."

"That's my favorite colour, too!"

"Then, how about your favorite book?

"... Dante's _Inferno_..."

"Dude, that's Axe-- WHOA!"

The steps collapsed, sending the pair straight back to the bottom. They lay sprawled across the floor for several moments, staring blankly at each other before helping one another up and attempting the climb once more. This time, when the stairs flattened, Demyx grabbed Zexion's wrist and jumped the final foot. They looked at each other and blinked, then turned and looked back at the steps as they fixed themselves.

"That has _got_ to be a safety violation."

**Challenge Three: Catwalk of (Absolute) Doom**

He could only stare at the metal bridge blankly. It was encased by a swirling mass of diagonal stripes – enough to make him extremely dizzy. The blonde smiled and offered his hand to the wary teen.

"It's perfectly safe."

It wasn't safety he was concerned for, though – it was his breakfast. Cautiously, he took the blonde's hand and allowed him to lead him across. He watched the lazy spin of the lines before moving forward and burying his head in Demyx's shoulder. The blonde stopped cold for a moment, glancing back at the slate-haired teen in surprise before continuing on.

He was hesitant to leave the comforting warmth Demyx offered when they finally left that dizzying area, but he was grateful to be past it.

"... Thanks..."

**Challenge Four: Steps of (Premature) Demise**

They stood side by side, staring down at the staircase, waiting for them to do _something_. Nothing happened.

"You think it's safe...?"

"... No."

"Way to be frank."

He nodded, looking back at the steps for a long moment. Finally, he took a hesitant step forward, testing the top step. So far so good. Slowly, he took another step, then another. And another. He made it halfway before the stair slid out from under him, and, if Demyx hadn't been right behind him, he would have plunged headfirst to the bottom. But as it stood, the blonde had managed to grab his arm before he fell.

"That was close!"

"... Yeah."

Zexion looked up at his friend, gratitude and appreciation swirling in his violet eyes. The musician only smiled and nodded before urging him to continue. Down they went, narrowly avoiding two more vanishing steps before stumbling to the bottom and out the door.

"Freedom! Yeah!"

Demyx cheered, raising his hands above his head as he basked in the sunlight. A small smile crept onto the slate-haired teen's face as he watched the blonde twirl around in circles before turning to face him once more.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"... I dunno..."

Zexion glanced around, unable to find anything of interest.

"Hmm, how about... the swinging chairs?"

"... No."

"Uhm... Ferris wheel?"

"... No."

"Anything?"

"... No."

Demyx just stared at him, before sighing.

"How about food?"

"... Ye--"

An all-to-familiar wave of nausea suddenly swept over him, forcing him to interrupt his sentence and begin running. He passed Aerith chatting lively with her friend – Marluxia? He passed a group of girls fawning over Axel, despite his clear disinterest. He passed the funhouse, the Merry-Go-Round, the Ferris wheel, the stage, finally stopping to quickly shove his way into the male restroom. He barely made it before everything he'd eaten that day came back up, and he'd slumped to the ground, his world going black.

* * *

Uhm, so, cliffhanger? I hope it wasn't TOO lame. XD; Anyway, please, review. I love to hear what you all think.

Oh, quick side-note: This will NOT be an M-Preg. Just... no. Sorry.


	3. Act Three

**A/N:** Not much to say this time. Can't keep away from Zemyx, my DS. I love that thing so much.

Oh yeah, slight random character appearances. Sorry.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own. Never will. Kinda don't wanna either. Oh! And I don't take credit for the song I put in here... that kinda goes towards Rascal Flatts.

**Dedication:** To Lifes.Lover 'cause she leaves awesome reviews for everything I write. And Empress of Misfits 'cause her review made a really bad day much better. Thank you! And to my betas and the people I worship. Always them.

**Edit 2.0:** FINALLY. I edited it, and now I think it's acceptable. Passable. BETTER than the previous version. Trust me on this.

* * *

_A cacophony of noise surrounded him._

_Screaming children. Wailing mothers._

_Roaring fire, devouring everything in its path._

_People crying out name of lost loved ones. Most he didn't recognize._

_Some... he did._

_A boy with blonde hair moved in and out of his vision, frantically searching for something – or someone._

"_Axel... God dammit Axel, where the hell are you...?!"_

_Conscious... Unconscious._

"-alm down. He'll be fine. I couldn't find anything wrong with him."

"B-b-but shouldn't we have taken him to the h-hospital or something...?! He was u-unconscious in a b-bathroom stall!"

"He's fine, Demyx, honest. A little exhausted, maybe, but otherwise fine."

"B-but... Cloud!"

"Demyx. Calm down. Now."

"... Cloud!!"

"Let him rest there unti..."

_It was a sick cycle._

"-en's he gettin' outta here? You know _damn_ well we leave tomorrow, Dem."

"Shut up! I know! I can't talk to his parents. He didn't really call them with my cell phone. There's no number listed!"

"Then the boy's a liar!"

"Larxene, I don't think tha--"

"That what. That one little lie wouldn't hurt? That one little lie couldn't shatter your whole world? That one little lie is okay?! Get out of that damned fantasy world of yours, Demyx!!"

"But, he's not..."

"You don't know that!!"

"... But you haven't spent time with him!!"

"I don't need to in order to tell he's a damned liar!"

"Shut up. Now."

"... Yessir..."

"Fine. Whatever, Riku. I don't care. Later."

"... God, I hate her..."

_I so desperately wanted to stay in my world of unreality._

"...-n't he up _yet_?!"

"Dude, Axel, be patient, yo."

"B-but I'm missing out on my shows!"

"There_ are_ reruns, dude."

"But they're not 'til later!

"There will be reruns, yo."

"... ARRGGH. Some brother _you_ are, Reno!"

"... I'm your _only_ brother, yo. Suck it up."

"But... But!"

"Dude, I know all about your freaky obsessions, but seriously, it'll come on later. You can watch it then."

"But... AAARGGH! That's _it_, I'm waking him up!!"

"Dude, no. Riku said not to."

"EMO BOY! GET YOUR A--"

"There's Roxas, yo."

"Roxie?!"

"Agh, what the... Get away from me you frea..."

_At least... that's what I told myself..._

"Nnn.."

"... Oh, you're waking up?"

A familiar, cheery voice greeted him upon waking. Violet eyes slowly opened, vision slightly blurred. His head was pounding; he figured he'd hit something when he fell.

"... Huh...?"

"No, hey, no, no, tha-that's bad! Lay back down!"

"... Do wha...?"

He had attempted to sit up, but was quickly halted when the blonde nearly tackled him, forcing him to lay back down on the bed. He put a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply before dropping his arm back down. Half-lidded eyes slowly scanned the room before landing on a window, white blinds opened to allow in the gentle evening breeze through the screen. The small room was a pleasant temperature, not too hot, not too cold. Music drifted through the fairgrounds, filling the room with a faint melody, the indecipherable lyrics enveloping the still air. Blinking a couple times, his gaze returned to the musician – who had unknowingly made his headache worse – as he sat back on the edge of the bed.

"... Where are we...?"

His voice came out as a hoarse whisper. He cleared his throat, asking the question again. Demyx laughed lightly, smiling, so, so happy Zexion was in the world of the living once more.

"We're in Riku's camper. Dude, why the hell didn't you _tell_ me if you felt sick?

Zexion could not think of a logical response, and in turn, said nothing, merely shrugging.

"Don't do that again, k? You scared the crap outta me, disappearing like that! You're lucky Axel was there!"

He laughed soundlessly, closing his violet eyes for a long moment before meeting with concern-filled blue ones.

"Cloud looked you over and gave you the all-clear. You feel okay?"

He nodded, propping himself up on his elbows. The name sounded strangely familiar.

"Uhm... Cloud...?"

"Cloud? Oh! Right! I forgot! He's our sort-of doctor and full-time techie. He does a lot of the tech during our shows, and helps set up and pack up camp."

He was silent for a moment, bits and pieces of the various conversations he'd overheard as he teetered between the lines of reality and dreams coming back to him. Cloud. Wasn't he the one Demyx had been arguing with? And Axel...

"... Does Axel have a... brother?"

Demyx looked at him with surprise.

"Yeah, actually. His name's Reno. He's one of out drivers. Without him, we wouldn't have that white trailer out there."

"... Oh..."

"Something wrong?"

"... Nothing."

The blonde looked at him a second longer before turning to look out the window.

"You know there's a concert tonight?"

"... I can hear it..."

"Oh yeah! You can, can't you!"

"... Who is it...?"

He was genuinely curious, watching silently as the blonde thought it over for a moment.

"Uh... some really famous country artist... Paco Latte?"

Zexion abruptly laughed, the sound tearing from his throat before he could stop it. Pale hands flew up to cover his mouth, and he turned away from Demyx.

"Zex? You okay?"

He shook his head, a fierce blush spreading across his face. The blonde slid towards him, staring at him with wide, confusion-filled eyes.

"Come on, tell me what's wrong."

"No."

He was acting childish and he knew it. He was pretty sure Demyx caught onto it as well.

"Zex..."

"...I'm sorry...!"

"Huh? For what?"

He was silent, trying to conjure forth coherent words of some sort – yet, none did.

"You know... you should laugh more."

Zexion whipped around to face him, eyes wide with something akin to pure, unadulterated shock.

"But... it's so... so... blah."

A strange sort of noise came from the blonde's throat – a noise that seemed almost as if it were a cross between and giggle and a snort. The slate-haired teen watched, surprise still etched into his features, as Demyx struggled to compose himself.

"Oh... my... I never imagined you using that word."

"..."

Zexion's head throbbed as he waited for the blonde to finish laughing. When he'd finally –_finally –_ composed himself, Demyx shot him a brilliant smile.

"Seriously, though. You have an adorable laugh."

He honestly couldn't tell if the blonde was being serious or not.

"Hey, don't give me that look!"

"... Oh, really now."

In the far off distance, the country band started a new song.

"So, wanna go see that band?"

"... Sure."

The blonde smiled brightly at him, moving to gather his scattered belongings. Zexion swung his legs over the side of the bed, vaguely noticing that he had been wearing his shoes the entire time as he stood up. His legs felt weak, he thought, as he struggled to keep his balance.

_I'd been asleep all day._

They meandered from the camp towards the fairgrounds, Demyx chatting excitedly about this and that and the other. The slate-haired teen only nodded in agreement whenever he asked a question about the current subject. But a sort of a comfortable silence set upon them as they passed through the threshold of the fair, silently observing the life around them. A siren went off somewhere, signaling someone had won something. A little girl squealed and screamed as she went down the giant slide. A boy slurped up the last of his drink before pitching the styrofoam cup and straw in the nearby trash can.

"You know, I never asked, but how old are you?"

The musician had finally broke the silence, looking down at him. Zexion looked around once more, spotting Aerith and her friend – Marluxia, was it? – handing out _more _flowers. He wondered briefly if they really did have other jobs, before returning his attention to the matter at hand.

"... Sixteen..."

"Really? You're younger than me? I coulda sworn you'd be older!"

"... Well... how old are you...?"

"Eighteen. I'm turning nineteen in a couple months."

Zexion nodded, looking at the sun setting over the distant mountains, casting a pale orange and pink shadow over the valley.

"You know, we leave tomorrow."

The statement made him stop in his tracks and stare blankly at Demyx. Reality crashed down around him, forcing him to remember the blonde was leaving.

"... Oh... yeah..."

He pursed his lips, staring down at the ground. He desperately wished time would just... stop.

"Hey, no worries! We're in the twenty-first century! Technology surrounds us!"

"... I... don't have a phone..."

"Who says we're limited to the phone? What about the computer?"

"... No..."

"Aw man! Okay, screw the twenty-first century. We'll go old school!"

"... I don't have a mailbox..."

"Well geez, Zex, you're making this really tough! Then how about you just promise to come back and see us next year?"

Zexion remained silent. He wanted to turn and run. Forget about this friend before it was too late, before he got too involved. Before he did something he would regret. But all he did was stare blankly as Demyx wordlessly pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Promise you'll try?"

Zexion didn't know how to react. Violet eyes stared upward, in the dying light of the twilight sky.

"Uh... uhm..."

Oh-so-hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around the musician's lithe form.

"... Okay."

His voice was barely a whisper, but Demyx had heard. The blonde responded by tightening his grip around the teen. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized his headache had faded. But it was simply a fleeting thought, soon forgotten as he lost himself in Demyx's warmth.

And behind them, the crowd went wild as the band started their grand finale.

_I didn't want him to leave..._

"There'll be fireworks in a little while."

Zexion nodded, looking up at the night sky. No stars were visible – just the bright lights from the fair.

"... Yeah..."

He looked around, watching as children dragged their mothers to various areas, be it games or rides. Or that concert.

"... It's nice out tonight..."

"Uh huh..."

The blonde nodded half-heartedly in agreement, eyes closed, body swaying gently to the beat of the music coming from the stage. The slate-haired teen listened as Demyx gradually went from humming to the tune to singing quietly under his breath. He pursed his lips and listened, just listened, to the other's almost enchanting voice.

"-n your knees you look up, decide you've had enough. You get mad, you get strong, wipe your hands, shake it off, then you sta..."

He was interrupted when a series of deafening explosions filled the air. Zexion looked up at the fireworks dancing high above them, creating beautiful displays of light and colour. He heard the blonde gasp with delight beside him.

Would the blonde miss him after they left?

Yes, he thought, looking back up at the night sky. He would miss the blonde. He would miss the blonde _a lot_. Because while he had only known him for barely two days, he felt safe around Demyx – something he had failed to feel for a very, very long time. But would these feelings be requited?

He mulled over this for a minute, wondering whether or not one of the only people to show him kindness over the past few days would actually, truly miss him in return.

"They're beautiful..."

His gaze once more returned to the blonde, violet orbs suddenly meeting blue. Zexion could only stare back, a long moment of silence passing between them before Demyx looked back up at the sky and smiled. The slate-haired teen followed suit shortly thereafter.

"... Yeah. They are."

Both felt an intense longing of sorts for time to stop. Neither wanted to leave that beautifully perfect moment.

An hour and a half passed as the two simply stood and watched the fireworks display, listening to the ongoing music from the concert in the background, simply enjoying one another's company. But as the shows simultaneously ended, and people filed from the fairgrounds to their cars and trucks and motorcycles and their other various modes of transportation, the pair found themselves wandering around amongst the deserted rides and games, watching as the lights went out one by one until they were in complete and utter darkness.

And in that complete and utter darkness, Demyx took his hand, lacing their fingers together. And, if they could see each other, the blonde would have been able to see the blissfully content smile that slowly spread across Zexion's face.

_He was my first – and only – friend._

* * *

Holy Fruitcakes, Batman! It's freaking finished! And it's short. ;-; I can assure you, I didn't mean for it to be this short, but... 

Oh yeah, quick side-note. Again. XD Paco Latte is Rascal Flatts. Don't. Ask.

Reviews pour moi?


	4. Act Four

**A/N:** Yes, it's true. I've updated. Amazing, right? Oh God, I feel so horrible 'cause this chapter is so short and I haven't updated in so long... I'm so sorry! (_grovels_)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these boys. I am simply borrowing them for my own purposes and will return them once finished. I am not guaranteeing the safe return of their sanity, though...

**Dedication:** This one goes out to The Critic Zoa, 'cause she always seems to pick up on the little details I put in and comments on them. I love getting her feedback. Here's to you!

* * *

_Again and again he had to relive the sensations that filled his mind._

_The fire was back._

_Loud. Hot. Consuming._

_Bodies trapped, void of any hope of escape, danced, twisted, writhed._

_Screamed._

_Colourless, shapeless shadows flitted about, running wildly, begging for redemption, salvation, anything and everything that could possibly help._

_There was nothing._

"_Don't do this to me, Leon! Wake up, please!!"_

_The only response was the repulsive stench of burning flesh; a smell so intense, it surrounded him, suffocating him._

"... myx. Demyx..."

His voice was soft, laced with concern. He doubted the sleeping blonde could hear him calling, but it was worth a shot. A minute passed, and then another as he waited for some sort of response. It finally came when Demyx shifted, turning over to face him.

"Nn... Zexion...?"

He nodded in affirmation, staring into the blonde's sleep-filled eyes. A small, almost reassuring, smile was on Demyx's face.

"Is something wrong?"

Zexion pursed his lips, hesitating a moment before nodding, tearing his gaze from the blonde's and locking his violet eyes on the ground.

"... You were... dreaming..."

The blonde blinked, the smile falling from his face as he took a moment to process this in his sleep-ridden mind.

"Yes, I was."

He forced himself to meet Demyx's eyes once more.

"... Just... forget I said anything..."

The blonde looked confused at this sudden reversal.

"Bu... what? You sure?"

Zexion slowly nodded, getting lost in those cerulean orbs.

_They were leaving._

He didn't know what to say or do as he stood silently, out of the way, allowing the workers to do their job, watching as they scurried about, taking down tents, packing things away, shoving equipment into the back of trailers, listening as the young stagemaster barked out orders to the crew.

_They... They were really leaving._

He watched for another few minutes before slowly sitting down, drawing his knees to his chest. Maybe if he sat there long enough, they wouldn't be able to leave. They'd think, '_Hey, who's this strange boy that's blocking our path?_' But then they'd go around him. And they'd be gone.

"Hey, kid!"

He looked up to see Riku hovering above him, silver hair overshadowing his face. They stared at each other a few minutes, glaring oh-so-slightly, until Riku finally spoke.

"Don't just sit there. Go help Leon and Cloud with the tech equipment if you're so bored."

Zexion pursed his lips, thinking. It wasn't that he was _bored_, per say, he was just... depressed. But, he nodded and pushed himself off the ground, dusting himself off.

"... Where are they?"

Riku looked thoughtful for a moment. Zexion shifted his weight from one foot to the other, nervously adjusting his bag, watching as the silver-haired teen pulled a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. They stood in silence for a minute, waiting for someone to pick up. Zexion heard Riku curse under his breath, shutting the cell phone and opening it once more, redialing the number. Someone answered on the first ring.

"Cloud? Where the hell are you two? ... Really now. And that's why you're out of breath. Uh huh, sure. And my hair's not silver. ... Just be presentable, please. I'm sending you some help. ... Hey, don't yell at me, it's your fa... Whatever, shut up. Good-bye."

Zexion didn't know how to react when Riku snapped the phone closed and nearly threw it on the ground. Riku sighed and shoved the phone in his pocket before returning his attention to the slate-haired teen once more.

"So... just go past the blue and red trailers over there, take a left, and just keep walking until you get to the stage area. Cloud and Leon should be floating around there somewhere."

"... But... what do they look like?"

His question fell upon deaf ears as Riku was already barking orders. Biting his bottom lip, he slowly wandered past the aforementioned trailers, towards the area the young stagemaster had indicated.

Zexion found the grounds with relative ease. It was, after all, his most visited area on the fairgrounds. But it looked so different when people weren't crowding it. He almost didn't recognize it, he realized, as he scanned the area. Just who was he looking for, anyway?

"Hey, kid."

He whipped around, stumbling a bit before falling over backwards and landing hard on the ground when his bag swung around and smacked him hard on the thigh. Two men stared down at him, one with spiky blonde hair, the other with shaggy brown hair, both of their expressions carefully blank. Zexion gazed up at them, anxiously waiting for one of them to laugh. When no laughter came, he cleared his throat and slowly got up, tugging down his sweatshirt's sleeves so that they covered his hands.

"You the one Riku sent?"

The blonde spoke first. The slate-haired teen nodded hesitantly in response.

"Are you good with technical equipment?"

It was the brunette that spoke this time.

"..."

"Handling it, he means."

He was unsure of how to respond, so he made do with a simple nod. The blonde gave him a calm smile, extending his hand. Zexion slowly reached out his own pale hand and shook hands with the blonde, pursing his lips nervously.

"My name's Cloud. I'm the one that treated you when you fell and hit your head. The guy behind me is Squall. He's just a tech person."

"That's Leon."

"... I'm Zexion."

"It's nice to meet you. Leon, Zexion, shall we get to work?"

The work, he discovered, wasn't all that difficult. It consisted of moving heavy electronics from the control room to one of the trailers without dropping or damaging it in any way, shape, or form. All in all, it took about forty minutes total. They would have been done earlier if Cloud and Leon hadn't decided to disappear to God knows where, leaving Zexion to move the heaviest piece of equipment himself. Somehow, though, the small teen managed to do it, shutting the trailer with a small smile of satisfaction.

_My heart was beating so fast..._

It was the moment of truth, to use one of the most overused clichés of all time.

Everyone was running around, checking to make sure trailers were locked, and hooked up, looking around to see if they'd forgotten anything, climbing into cars, saying their good-byes to friends they had made. Which was exactly was Zexion was doing.

"Geez, Zex, I'm really gonna miss you!"

Demyx pulled the slate-haired teen into a bone-crushing hug upon declaring this. Zexion wanted to return it, really, he did, but the blonde was impairing his ability to breath.

"De-Demyx... Can't... breathe..."

"Hm... Oh! Aw man, I'm sorry!"

Demyx let go of him as quickly as he'd lunged forward and grabbed the teen in the first place, smiling sadly at Zexion. A moment of uncomfortable silence passed between them before the blonde spoke.

"So... I'll see you again next year?"

Zexion nodded numbly, slowly playing with the hem of his shirt, gaze locked on the ground, watching as Demyx simply turned and walked away.

_Gone... he was..._

He clenched his fists tightly, squeezing his eyes shut.

_This wasn't happening..._

"... Demyx!"

It was the loudest he'd raised his voice in years. The blonde stopped and looked over his shoulder in surprise.

"Zex...?"

"... Take me with you!"

* * *

Oh yeah, doesn't get much cheesier than that! Ha ha, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was a long time in the making, but it's finally out! I'll try to make the next chapter a LOT longer, trust me. I'm still really sorry that I didn't update for so long... What can I do to apologize?

Anyway, leave a review, please. It always makes my day to get feedback from people.


	5. Act Five

**A/N:** Well, here I am, sitting on my best friend's bedroom floor, without internet, typing this up. XD I hope you like this chapter – the beginning was rewritten at least five times.

Alas, it's time to talk for a moment. I hope you (Yes! You! The reader!) are reading this, 'cause I don't want you to read through the chapter and think, "What the fuck? That's not how she was writing before!" Because it's not. From this chapter on, I'll be writing in a more standard style of writing... without losing the style I use? Yeah, that sounds about right. One of the reasons I decided to do this is because when I go back to read through the chapters, I forget who the hell I meant was talking. Which means you, as the reader, is more than likely just as confused.

Moving on. It's been forever and a day since I last updated and I'm sure you want to read the chapter already! So, I'll shut up after I type out the standard disclaimer/dedication!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts in any way, shape or form. Although I sorely wish I did... sometimes. I don't need crazed fangirls (not unlike myself) trying to hunt me down for ownership!!

**Dedication:** To all mah friends in theatre class, because that's where I finished typing this up. XD YAY FUN!

* * *

"Five, four, three, two... Cloud, Leon."

Zexion watched in mild fascination, glancing at Reno as he whispered the command into his headset. The stage lights suddenly flared to life and a soft, haunting melody began playing in the background. Carefully avoiding the piercing glare of the young stage master, violet eyes scanned the area, finally landing on a ladder. He followed the ladder up, and, when he saw it connected with the catwalk that hung over the stage, decided to climb up it. Standing, he bowed his head, trying his hardest to ignore Riku as he approached the ladder and climbed it with relative ease. As he approached the center of the catwalk, he pulled his bag off his shoulder, holding the straps in his hand. He looked down at the stage, watching silently as Riku made his way upstage. Riku glanced up at Zexion, smiling wickedly; tension filled the air, suffocating the slate-haired teen. But it faded as soon as the stage master's voice filled the theatre, commencing the show.

To say that Riku didn't like Zexion would be the understatement of the century. Let's rewind, shall we?

"... Take me with you!" he'd yelled. His throat protested; his voice hadn't been raised like that in so long. But, Riku, of course, had immediately and adamantly refused. Demyx had practically begged trying to negotiate with the stage master. But even though he had made the request, he could only silently plead with Riku.

"No." Riku had replied for the umpteenth time. Demyx shook his head, refusing to accept this as an answer.

"But... he won't be a burden! I swear, I'll make sure he isn't!"

"No, Demyx. We barely have enough room as it is," Riku didn't offer an apology, just a blunt explanation. "And he doesn't have a talent. The only way he can be useful to me is if he has a talent."

"B-but...!"

"Demyx, shut up, now. Get in the truck with Xigbar right this instant, or I will have him leave you here."

And that was how Zexion was left standing alone in the middle of an abandoned campsite.

With a dejected sigh, he slung his bad over his shoulder once more, slowly making his way towards the road. He swore to himself he was not disappointed. Honestly, what was there to be disappointed about? What Riku had said was the cold, hard truth, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was utterly foolish to even think that Riku would accept him into the troupe wordlessly. But, Zexion realized as he stopped to check the road before crossing, he wasn't angry at Riku. He just couldn't be, no matter how hard he tried, because the silver-haired teen was just that: a teenager. A teenager who had to manage an entire theatre troupe. He had enough on his shoulders, and he certainly didn't need a useless boy who could very well accidentally kill himself with a stage light.

But he _was_ miserably sad. He really did miss Demyx – and even some of the other troupe members – but the fact that he was completely and utterly _useless_ kept gnawing away at his brain. It was something _he_ used to tell him. Something _he_ used to tell him _every single fucking day of his life_.

Gravel crunched noisily beneath his sneakers as he walked alongside a golden cornfield, the stalks swaying in the gentle breeze that had picked up. The sounds and excitement of the fair were quickly left behind him, and in their place, the sound of a car slowly approaching him.

"Hey, kid! You need a ride somewhere?" someone called, their voice filling the silence that had surround him. Zexion ignored them, continuing onward. But they persisted, pulling up closer to him.

"Come on kid, it's free, and the closest town is in the opposite direction." the person yelled once more. But Zexion knew that. He knew the town, the residents, the streets, anything and everything. And he yearned to escape from it all.

"Someone as pretty as you shouldn't have to walk to town!" a new voice joined in, making Zexion jump. The two laughed at his reaction, pulling up closer to him once more. He began picking at a loose thread at the end of his jacket's sleeve, trying to ignore them. But now that they knew he could hear them, they would not relent.

"Pretty boy," the new voice addressed him, making him shiver in disgust. "If you don't get in this car will...ing...ly..." They trailed off for some reason, and Zexion considered making a run for it, only to have his thought interrupted when a car horn blared. He swiveled around, spotting a strangely familiar black truck...

Zexion was jerked from the memory when the audience's applause became especially loud. His gaze drifted back to the stage, where violet eyes abruptly met with blue. A wide grin broke out on the blonde's face and he offered Zexion a small wave before continuing with his act.

He brushed hair out of his eye, to see the act as clearly as possible, a small smile on his face as he watched the blonde expertly pluck the strings of the sitar, weaving and intricate and oh-so-enchanting pattern of notes. Water danced around the theatre, completely captivating and awing the audience as it slithered and snaked around audience member's bodies, making them laugh with delight.

"Enjoying the show?"

Zexion jumped, Riku's voice surprising him. His bag fell from his hand and landed with a loud clatter onto the metal of the catwalk. He immediately looked down, refusing to meet Demyx's concerned stare, motioning for him to continue his act. The blonde did so, laughing awkwardly as the audience teased him for his momentary distraction.

"... What?" Zexion asked, leaning down to retrieve his bag, slinging it over his shoulder once more, ignoring the low chuckle from Riku.

"I asked if you were enjoying the show." Riku repeated. Zexion bit his lip, thinking. Of course he was enjoying the show, but what was it Riku wanted to hear? Said stage master watched as Zexion nodded slowly, shaking his own head as he realized the slate-haired teen was refusing to make eye contact with him.

"That's good." Riku's voice deep, raspy – he was whispering so as to not further disturb the blonde's act. Zexion took a hesitant step back, but Riku followed, snagging Zexion's wrists and drawing the teen close.

"Why would Demyx disobey a direct order for you? Why does he have such a... fixation on you? Because I see nothing special about you. You're nothing but a burden on the troupe. And yet, you simply won't leave!" Riku's lips brushed his ear as he spoke, sending involuntary shivers down his spine. Zexion whimpered, half-heartedly struggling again the young stage master's tight grip.

"... B-but... That's..." He stuttered, trying to call forth a single coherent sentence, but was unable to. His body shook, anticipating what he knew was not coming. He felt Riku smirk against his ear; he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to pull away. The close proximity of the stage master made him uncomfortable to the point of fear.

"Why don't you leave?" Riku suggested, his voice even quieter than it had been. "You're useless to me." Zexion's muscles stiffened when he hear this.

"U-useless...?" he whispered, his voice breaking at the end of the simple word.

"_What the fuck?! What is this, the third glass you've broken this week? You're so fucking _useless_, Zexion!"_

"That's right." Riku assured, fingernails digging into Zexion's wrists. He whimpered, bowing his head, images filling his mind.

"... I-I... I'm not useless..." he finally responded, his voice barely audible. The stage master finally released Zexion, taking a step back, watching as the slate-haired teen fell to his knees, shaking.

"You better live up to that." Riku threatened, turning around to leave. Wide, violet eyes watched as Riku acknowledged the newest person on the catwalk.

"Hello there, Demyx." the stage master whispered, his voice even and smooth, all traces of malice gone.

"... Hey, Riku." Demyx greeted, his gaze locking with Zexion's. Riku laughed softly and brushed past the blonde, descending the ladder just as quietly as he'd ascended.

"I'm not useless... not... useless... I'm not useless..." Zexion chanted as Demyx approached, as if trying to reassure himself. The blonde silently gathered the frightened teen into a tight embrace. Zexion breathed out a small laugh, eyes still impossibly wide.

"Stupid... I'm so... stupid..." he muttered, realizing what had made him react so violently to the stage master's words. "He's just like _him_. Just fucking like..."

"Just like who, Zexy...?" Demyx questioned, his voice soft. Zexion shut his eyes, thrashing against Demyx's strong arms.

"Don't _call_ me that!" he near yelled. Luckily, Sora and Roxas were performing a trick as he cried out, and the music from their act masked his panicked voice.

"Zexion... Hey, it's just me. I'm sorry, I really am. I forgot, that's all... Hey, hey, shh, it's just me..." Demyx soothed, rubbing gentle circles on Zexion's back. Shaky arms slowly reached up and tangled themselves around Demyx's neck. Zexion clung to the blonde as if his life depended on it, hands fisting the blue fabric of Demyx's shirt. Several moments of silence passed as Zexion calmed. His breathing evened, and his death grip on the shirt gradually slackened, until he was just loosely holding onto the blonde.

"I'm sorry..." he breathed out, gently pushing away from Demyx. The blonde was hesitant in letting go, but eventually he released Zexion, holding the teen at arm's length, staring at him cautiously.

"Riku didn't... hurt you, did he?" Demyx questioned, concern shining in his blue eyes. Zexion slowly shook his head, reaching for his bag.

"I'm... I'm fine. Don't worry about it." he muttered, glancing at the twins onstage, watching as they performed a rather elaborate trick, earning a healthy round of applause.

"Tch." The small sound caught his attention, and the slate-haired teen turned his attention back to Demyx. Blue eyes were focused on the twins, a plethora of emotions swirling in his eyes.

"... Demyx?" His voice was barely a whisper, but it caught the blonde's attention. Demyx looked at Zexion, gaze softening when he saw the concerned look the other held. Laughing softly, he shook his head and stood, offering a hand to his companion. Zexion looked at the hand, then at Demyx, then back at the offered hand before taking it and standing. Demyx smiled at him, lacing their fingers together.

"I'm supposed to be worried about you," he whispered. Zexion slowly nodded, allowing Demyx to pull him towards the ladder. "Let's get down from here. Heights kind of freak me out." He uttered no words of protest as he followed the blonde down the ladder to the backstage area, carefully avoiding the sharp turquoise eyes that followed his every movement.

Not a word was spoken until they had left the stage and slowly made their way to the parking lot, towards the convoy of vehicles the troupe traveled in. It was Demyx that broke the comfortable silence.

"... Are you sure Riku didn't hurt you?" he asked, stopping Zexion. The slate-haired teen nodded, looking down.

"He didn't hurt me. I promise," he whispered, squeezing Demyx's hand. "Why... do you want to know?" The blonde was caught off-guard by Zexion's question.

"It's just... Riku is nice and all... but only if he personally invited you to join the troupe. If he didn't... he doesn't really accept them as easily... if at all..." The blonde trailed off, glancing back at Zexion. But despite being the one that asked, Zexion had completely missed the explanation. His hand loosened in Demyx's; he just stared off into the distance. His eyes were entirely devoid of emotion.

"Zexion? Hey, are you okay?" Demyx let go of his hand, grasping Zexion's shoulders, gently shaking him. No response. Demyx brushed the teen's slate hair from his face, taking in how pale Zexion had gotten.

"Demyx.. Demyx! There you are!" a voice called. Demyx could hear footsteps approaching, and looked over Zexion's shoulder to see Sora coming towards them.

"Sora? What's wrong?" he asked as Sora approached. The brunette was almost frantic in appearance, still in the clothes he wore onstage.

"Riku hurt himself." he muttered, looking at the ground. Demyx smiled gently, meeting Sora's worried gaze.

"Is that all?" he asked, glancing at his companion. Sora took notice of this and looked at Zexion as well, his eyes widening.

"Is he alright?" the brunette asked, waving a hand in front of Zexion's half-lidded eyes. Demyx shook his head.

"I don't know." The blonde sighed, concerned for his friend. "He won't respond." Sora glanced at Zexion once more, laying a hand on his arm.

"Hey, Zexion, what's wrong?" he asked, looking at Demyx when there was no response.

"Told you." he whispered. "But what's wrong with Riku?"

"He fell when he went to check on a stage light for Cloud and Leon." Sora replied, sighing. "He didn't fall too far, but enough to twist his ankle." Demyx nodded.

"That's good. I'm glad he's alright."

"The fire!" Zexion gasped suddenly, coming back to reality. Demyx sighed with utter relief, taking the slate-haired teen's hands, watching as emotions flooded back into Zexion's eyes.

"What was that about?!" he demanded, forgetting Sora's presence. Zexion shook his head, squeezing the blonde's hands.

"I... I don't know..." he mumbled, taking a step forward and laying his head on Demyx's shoulder. The blonde slowly embraced the teen once more. _What else could go wrong today...? _He wondered, closing his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Sora asked, making his presence known once more. Zexion nodded without looking at the brunette.

"Don't let the fire take you..." he whispered. Demyx was the only one that heard him.

"Fire? Zex, there's no fire. I don't know what you're talking about." he soothed, glancing at Sora, who only shrugged.

"Please, don't let it..." the teen asked again softly.

"It's alright, Zex. There is no fire." He moved Zexion so that the slate-haired teen was looking at him and smiled. Zexion looked at Sora, who just smiled as well. Sighing, he closed his eyes and rest his head on Demyx's shoulder once more. He was suddenly very tired.

But he allowed the visions to leave his mind, relaxing for what felt like the first time in ages.

"We won't leave you." Demyx assured.

"Definitely not!" Sora agreed, smiling at Zexion.

And Zexion believed them.

* * *

Oh God, don't kill me. I hope this makes up for my long absence. It's longer than the last act by a full page, at least!! And I already have Act Six halfway done.

Anyway, please review! I like to hear from you guys. Especially when you tell me what I'm doing right... or wrong.


	6. Author's Note EDIT

**A/N:** No, your eyes did not deceive you. Yes, that is an alert for Spectacular in your inbox. But unfortunately, **this is not an update**.

From this day on, Spectacular will be on HIATUS. There are a couple contributing factors to this decision.

The first reason is because I have no motivation for it at the moment. No motivation, no ideas, nothing, zip, nada. Now, don't think that doesn't mean that I don't have most of the plot actually in my head, it's just I can't get from Point A to Point B. If that makes any sense at all.

The second factor is that I feel it is completely and utterly... inadequate. I don't like it. Well, I mean, I like the idea, but I don't like how I decided to bring it to life. It needs to be shot, killed, then revived, hopefully better than it originally was.

And just because I am putting Spectacular on hiatus does not mean that I am leaving the fandom. Dear lord, no. If anyone -- anyone at all -- has recently checked my blog (The link's under my homepage on my profile) then they know that I have a monster one-shot in the works. Trust me, this thing is a BEAST. (And actually, at the rate it's going, it'll probably be a two-shot, or something of the like.) And I hope that it somehow makes up for my absence.

Anyway, I'm sure you've heard enough of my ranting. I hope that everyone accepts my deepest apologies, and that they stick around to read my new story. (Assuming that I ever finish it. But it's getting there. Very slowly, but it is.)

Thanks for putting up with me. XD;

-- Ruby

**EDIT (July 31, 2008):** Ha ha, you really thought this was an update, didn't you? XD Well, it's not. It's just another little tidbit from this lowly authoress. First off, I would like to point out that there is a poll on my profile asking whether or not you think it was a good idea for me to put Spectacular on hiatus. Secondly, I would like to mention that some progress has been made towards the rewrite of Spectacular. The only problem is that it is almost a completely different story. So, if anyone would like to read it when I finally get around to working on it, go ahead and put me on Author Alert. I'll keep this version of Spectacular up, though, just in case A) I ever want to finish off this storyline, and B) Anyone else wants to read the original Spectacular.

Well, I s'pose that's all for now. Later!

-- Ruby


End file.
